System And Device For Consumption Of Smokeable Product Using A Vaporizer Natural Herbal Inhaler Device

ABSTRACT

An herbal pouch usable in dry-herbal vaporizers and other natural herbal inhalers is presented, the pouch comprising a smoking-safe material capable of surviving the heating environment of a vaporizer device without breaking down or affecting the vaporization process of any smoke-able product contained within and including one or more lateral seals at one or both longitudinal ends of the pouch arranged to create a handle portion for gripping and manipulating the pouch, as well as a kit containing one or more pouches along with a loading tool for loading smoke-able product into the pouch for consumption.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system and product for consuming inhalable herbal products through the use of a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device. More specifically, the invention relates to a pouch for containing inhalable herbal products that is safe and convenient for use in a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device, a kit for preparing the pouch for use, and a machine for producing and filling the pouches with the inhalable product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of vaporizers for consuming inhalable products, such as tobacco, cannabis, other herbs and flowers, and the like, is becoming more and more popular. Popular vaporizer devices include the Davinci IQ and MIQRO devices and the PAX 2 and 3 and PAX Era devices. In most instances, consumers load their smoke-able product directly in their vaporizer device. This approach has significant drawbacks, as the smoke-able product can plug up the device if it is not properly cleaned after use, remnants of previously used product may remain in the device even after a thorough cleaning, creating a less enjoyable smoking experience, and loading the smoke-able product directly into the device can create a mess around and on the outside of the device and often leads to the loss of some portion of smoke-able product during the loading process.

The use of a pouch to contain tobacco products—for example, chewable tobacco—is also well known in the industry. However, the pouches used in association with chewable tobacco are not intended to be consumed and would not properly hold up if placed in the heating environment of a vaporizer device. Furthermore, the chewable tobacco pouch products on the market are self-contained, and do not permit the consumer to select the type or amount of product within.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a pouch product that can be safely and conveniently filled with a user's smoke-able product of choice, placed inside the heating environment of a vaporizer device, and easily removed after use without encountering the drawbacks relating to messiness, cleanup, and loss of smoke-able product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pouch comprising material capable of containing a smoke-able product, safely surviving the heating environment of a vaporizer natural herbal inhaler device without affecting the vaporization of the smoke-able product contained within, and convenient to insert into and remove from the vaporizer device without significant cleanup of the device or risk of loss of smoke-able product upon loading.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pouch with an open end allowing the consumer to fill the pouch with whatever type and amount of smoke-able product he or she chooses. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a do-it-yourself kit containing specialized items to facilitate filling the pouch with whatever type and amount of smoke-able product the consumer chooses.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine capable of producing and filling such pouches, with a pre-determined amount of smoke-able product both rapidly and at scale.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objectives by providing an herbal pouch usable in dry-herbal vaporizers and other natural herbal inhalers, the pouch preferably comprising natural fiber cellulose, hemp fibers, manila hemp, all natural wood pulp and/or other smoke-safe material capable of surviving the heating environment of a vaporizer device without breaking down or affecting the vaporization process of any smoke-able product contained within. The pouches are specially designed and manufactured using materials that permit the heat generated in the vaporizer device's oven to permeate the pouch and reach the smoke-able product contained therein. The pouch material then allows vapors from the heated smoke-able product to escape for consumption by the user, without any burning or vaporizing affect on the pouch itself, accomplishing certain objectives of the present invention.

Some preferable embodiments of the pouch comprise a first sealed end and a second open end for inserting smoke-able product. Other preferable embodiments are provided to the consumer with both ends sealed and the smoke-able product already packaged within. In such embodiments, users may choose a pouch with a known amount of smoke-able product, such as 0.2 grams, 0.35 grams, 0.5 grams, or another measured amount.

Preferable embodiments of the present invention provide a pouch sized appropriately to fit in the typical oven of a vaporizer device, such as the Davinci IQ and MIQRO and similar PAX devices, for example. Thus, one particularly preferable pouch size is ¾ inches wide by 1.5 inches long when lying flat, though the present invention is not limited thereto. Preferable embodiments also employ latitudinal seals along one or both longitudinal ends of the pouch. Some embodiments employ a seal around ⅜ inches from at least one of the ends so as to create a pinchable handle portion to facilitate the pouch's insertion into and removal from the vaporizer device. Some preferable embodiments further employ one or more laterally extending handle extensions in addition to the pinchable handle portion to further facilitate loading and unloading the pouch.

Some preferable embodiments include more than one lateral seal at each longitudinal end of the pouch, a unique feature that improves the functionality of the pinchable handle portion(s) and ensures that the smoke-able product cannot escape from a sealed pouch. In preferable embodiments employing one or more seals at both longitudinal ends of the pouch, additional air space is provided within the pouch's containment chamber allowing the smoke-able product therein room to shift. This additional air space also facilitates preparing the pouch for use and helps with the vaporization process.

The present invention also provides a do-it-yourself kit for using and filling the pouches described above. The kit preferably includes one or more pouches and a loading tool to facilitate easy filling of the pouch with the chosen smoke-able product. The loading tool preferably comprises a tube open on both ends and a longitudinal insert slidably inserted therein. The tube and insert are preferably cylindrical in shape, though other shapes are possible as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The tube preferably employs markings for measuring the amount of smoke-able product within the loading tool, facilitating accurate loading of product into the pouch by the user.

The loading tool's tube preferably employs laterally extending grip extensions to assist the user in holding the tube in place while sliding the longitudinal insert within. The longitudinal insert preferably includes a laterally extending stopper portion at one end to prevent the end of the longitudinal insert from entering into the tube and to provide a ridge for gripping and sliding the insert. The longitudinal insert preferably includes a substantially flat edge on the product contact end, the end opposite the end with the laterally extending stopper portion, to facilitate the use of the longitudinal insert to expel smoke-able product from the loading tool's tube into the pouch.

To that end, the longitudinal insert and tube are preferably sized such that the outer surface of the longitudinal insert contacts the inner surface of the tube. For example, in embodiments wherein a cylindrical loading tool is used, the circumference of the outer surface of the longitudinal insert closely matches the circumference of the inner surface of the tube, such that smoke-able product is not able to get between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert and the inner surface of the tube. In some preferable embodiments, the longitudinal insert also includes a lateral indentation near the product contact end. Such a lateral indentation may be employed to facilitate smooth sliding of the longitudinal insert within the tube.

Some preferable embodiments of the kit further include one or more of a smoke-able product grinding device, which can be used to prepare the smoke-able product for insertion into the pouch, a vaporizer device, an extraction tool, which may be used to assist the user in removing the pouch from the vaporizer device's oven after use, and cleaning product safe for use with a vaporizer device. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the necessity and propriety of the items available for inclusion in the present invention's kit.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and arrangements described above. Other objects of the present invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an image of a preferable embodiment of the pouch of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the use in conventional vaporizer devices of the preferable embodiment of the pouch depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an image of the contents of a preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an image of the loading tool included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the process of loading the pouch of the present invention using the loading tool and preparing the loaded pouch for storage or for use in the vaporizer device all included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an isometric representation of the loading tool included in the preferable embodiment of the kit of the present invention depicted in FIG. 3, with the tube and longitudinal insert depicted separately.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description illustrates the technology by way of example, not by way of limitation of the principles of the invention. This description will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the technology, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. One skilled in the art will recognize alternative variations and arrangements, and the present technology is not limited to those embodiments described hereafter.

As depicted in FIG. 1, preferable embodiments of the present invention include first and second longitudinal ends 12, 14 and a product containment chamber 16 therebetween. Inside the product containment chamber 16 is smoke-able product 18, either preloaded and sealed within the pouch 10 or loaded by the user individually. In the case of a pre-loaded pouch 10, both the first and second longitudinal ends 12, 14 are preferably sealed to prevent any of the smoke-able product 18 from escaping. Preferable embodiments of the pre-loaded pouches 10 include additional air space 20 within the product containment chamber 16 to allow the smoke-able product 18 to shift around within the product containment chamber 16.

As depicted in FIG. 1, preferable embodiments of the pre-loaded pouches 10 employ one or more lateral seals 22, 24 at each longitudinal end 12, 14. The inner-most seal 22, 24 is preferably a distance from the edge of the pouch 10 to create pinchable handle portions 26 on one or both of the pouch's longitudinal ends 12, 14. For example, the inner-most seal may be about ⅛ to ½ inches, or more preferably about ¼ to ⅜ inches, or even more preferably about 3/8 inches from the pouch's edge in some preferable embodiments. In some preferable embodiments, the inner-most seal 22 on the pouch's top longitudinal end 12 may be about ⅜ or ⅖ inches from the pouch's top edge and the inner-most seal 24 on the pouch's bottom longitudinal end 14 may be about 1/8 or 3/20 inches from the pouch's bottom edge, for example. The handle portions 26 may have one or more additional seals 22, 24 on either or both longitudinal ends 12, 14 between the inner-most seal and the edge to create ridges that help facilitate the use of the handle portions 26 to insert and remove the pouch 10 from the vaporizer device 34, as depicted. Some preferable embodiments may also include laterally extending handle extensions on one or both longitudinal ends 12, 14 of the pouch 10 to further facilitate handling of the pouches 10 once loaded, though not depicted in FIG. 1.

Preferable embodiments of the pouches are sized appropriately to fit into the oven of a conventional vaporizer device 34, as depicted in FIG. 2. For example, the pouch 10 may be approximately ½ to 1 inch wide by 1 to 3 inches long or more preferably approximately ½ to ¾ inches wide by 1.5 to 2.5 inches long, or even more preferably approximately ¾ inches wide by 1.5 inches long. Likewise, the depicted handle portion 26 is provided for facilitating easy loading and unloading of the pouch 10 in a vaporizer device 34.

FIG. 3 depicts the contents of a preferable embodiment of the kit 30 of the present invention. As depicted, preferable kits 30 include one or more un-filled pouches 10 and a loading tool 40, and may further include a smoke-able product grinding device 32, a vaporizer device 34, a bag for holding filled or un-filled pouches 36, an extraction tool (not depicted), cleaning product (not depicted) safe for use with the vaporizer device 34, and some pre-measured portion of smoke-able product 18.

The loading tool 40, depicted in FIG. 4, preferably includes a tube 42 open on both ends and a longitudinal insert 44 slidably inserted therein. The depicted tube 42 and insert 44 are cylindrical in shape, though other shapes are possible as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As depicted, the tube 42 preferably employs markings 46 for measurement of the amount of smoke-able product 18 within the loading tool 40, facilitating accurate loading of product 18 into the pouch 10 by the user. Preferable embodiments of the loading tool 40 may be about 2 and ¾ inches in length with a diameter of ⅜ inches to conveniently fit and extend into a pouch 10 open on one end for quick and easy filling of loose herb smoke-able product 18. Other preferable embodiments of the loading tool 40 may be longer or shorter with a diameter of, for example, ½ inches.

The loading tool's tube 42 preferably employs laterally extending grip extensions 48 to assist the user in holding the tube 42 in place while sliding the longitudinal insert 44 within, as depicted in FIG. 4. The longitudinal insert 44 preferably includes a laterally extending stopper portion 50 at one end to prevent the end of the longitudinal insert 44 from entering into the tube 42 and to provide a ridge for gripping and sliding the insert 44. The laterally extending stopper portion 50 can also more clearly be seen in the loading tool depicted in FIG. 5. The longitudinal insert 44 also preferably includes a substantially flat edge 54 on the product contact end 52, the end opposite the end with the laterally extending stopper portion 50, to facilitate the use of the longitudinal insert 44 to expel smoke-able product 18 from the loading tool's tube 42 and into the pouch 10, as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5.

To that end, the longitudinal insert 44 and tube 42 are preferably sized such that the outer surface of the longitudinal insert 44 contacts the inner surface of the tube 42. For example, in embodiments wherein a cylindrical loading tool 40 is used, the circumference of the outer surface of the longitudinal insert 44 closely matches the circumference of the inner surface of the tube 42, such that smoke-able product 18 is not able to get between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert 44 and the inner surface of the tube 42. In some preferable embodiments, the longitudinal insert 44 also includes a lateral indentation 56 near the product contact end 52. Such a lateral indentation 56 may be employed to facilitate smooth sliding of the longitudinal insert 44 within the tube 42.

In some preferable embodiments, such as that depicted in FIG. 4, the circumference of the inner surface of the tube 42 closely matches the circumference of the outer surface of the substantially flat edge 54 of the longitudinal insert's product contact end 52. The circumference of the outer edge of the rest of the longitudinal insert 44 need not, in such embodiments, closely match the circumference of the inner edge of the tube 42, as depicted in FIG. 4, as the substantially flat edge 54 of the product contact end 52 prevents the smoke-able product 18 from getting between the outer surface of the longitudinal insert 44 and the inner surface of the tube 42.

FIG. 5 includes a demonstration of the use of the loading tool 40 to collect and retain smoke-able product 18, the smoke-able product 18 having been prepared and collected in a portion of the grinding device 32 in the schematic depicted in FIG. 5, and then to fill a pouch 10 of the present invention by compressing the longitudinal insert 44 to expel the smoke-able product 18 into the pouch 10. As depicted, the filled pouch 10 can then be folded for storage or pinched for use in a vaporizer device 34. Those of skill in the art will understand the uses of the loading tool 40 in connection with the un-filled pouches 10 and other items included in the preferable embodiments of the kit 30 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a preferable embodiment of the loading tool 40 wherein the tube 42 and the longitudinal insert 44 have been separated. The depicted preferable embodiment of the tube 42 includes the laterally extending grip extension 48 extending around the entire circumference of the tube 42 and includes markings 46 depicting a 2 mL capacity for smoke-able product 18 contained therein. The depicted preferable embodiment of the longitudinal insert 44 includes the substantially flat edge 54 of the product contact end 52 that operates to expel the smoke-able product 18 from the loading tool's tube 42 and into a pouch 10 of the present invention. Also depicted are the lateral indentations 56 near the product contact end 52. In the preferable embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the longitudinal insert's laterally extending stopper portion 50 includes an indentation 58 to facilitate the use of the loading tool 40.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and arrangements of parts, features, and the like, it is not limited to these embodiments or arrangements. Indeed, modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art, all of which are inferentially and inherently included in these teachings. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pouch for containing loose herb consumable using a vaporizer device, the pouch comprising: a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a product containment chamber therebetween; one or more first-end seals located proximal to the first longitudinal end, an innermost of the one or more first-end seals located a distance from an edge of the first longitudinal end such that the portion of the pouch between the edge of the first longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more first-end seals is operable as a first-end handle portion graspable by a user; and each non-innermost of the one or more first-end seals creating a ridge on the first-end handle portion making the first-end handle portion easier to grasp.
 2. The pouch of claim 1, further comprising: one or more second-end seals located proximal to the pouch's second longitudinal end, an innermost of the one or more second-end seals located a distance from an edge of the second longitudinal end such that the portion of the pouch between the edge of the second longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more second-end seals is operable as a second-end handle portion graspable by a user; and each non-innermost of the one or more second-end seals creating a ridge on the second-end handle portion making the second-end handle portion easier to grasp.
 3. The pouch of claim 2, wherein the product containment chamber contains the loose herb consumable using a vaporizer device and empty air space, the empty air space allowing the loose herb consumable using a vaporizer device to flow within the product containment chamber.
 4. The pouch of claim 3, wherein the innermost of the one or more first-end seals is located three-twentieths of an inch from the edge of the first longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more second-end seals is located two-fifths of an inch from the edge of the second longitudinal end.
 5. The pouch of claim 1, wherein a length of the pouch, defined as the distance from the edge of the first longitudinal end to the edge of the second longitudinal end when the pouch is empty and lying flat, is substantially no less than one inch and no greater than three inches long, and wherein a width of the pouch, defined as the distance from one side of the pouch to the other when the pouch is empty and lying flat, is substantially no less than half an inch and no greater than one inch wide.
 6. The pouch of claim 5, wherein the length of the pouch is substantially one-and-a-half inches long and the width of the pouch is substantially three-quarters of an inch wide.
 7. The pouch of claim 1, wherein the first-end handle portion further comprises one or more handle extensions extending laterally from the edge of the first longitudinal end.
 8. A kit for consuming loose herb using a vaporizer device, the kit comprising: a vaporizer device; one or more pouches for containing loose herb consumable using the vaporizer device, said one or more pouches each comprising: a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a loose-herb containment chamber therebetween; one or more first-end seals located proximal to the first longitudinal end, an innermost of the one or more first-end seals located a distance from an edge of the first longitudinal end such that the portion of the pouch between the edge of the first longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more first-end seals is operable as a first-end handle portion graspable by a user, and each non-innermost of the one or more first-end seals creating a ridge on the first-end handle portion making the first-end handle portion easier to grasp; a loading tool comprising a longitudinal tube and a longitudinal insert slidably maneuverable within the longitudinal tube; the longitudinal tube comprising a first open, gripping end and a second open, extrusion end, the gripping end comprising a grip extension extending laterally outward from an outer circumference of the longitudinal tube to facilitate a user's handling and manipulation of the loading tool; the longitudinal insert comprising a first, depression end and a second, product-contact end, the depression end comprising a stopper portion extending laterally outward from an outer circumference of the longitudinal insert, the stopper portion being sized to prevent the depression end of the longitudinal insert from passing through the open, gripping end of the longitudinal tube; wherein at least a portion of the outer circumference of the longitudinal insert is sized to closely and slidably abut an inner circumference of the longitudinal tube; wherein the outer circumference of the loading tool's longitudinal tube is sized to slidably insert into the second longitudinal end of the one or more pouches to fill the one or more pouches with loose herb located within the longitudinal tube.
 9. The kit of claim 8, wherein the product-contact end of the longitudinal insert comprises a substantially flat edge with an outer circumference sized to closely and slidably abut the inner circumference of the longitudinal tube and further comprises a lateral indentation proximal to the substantially flat edge.
 10. The kit of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal tube further comprises measurement markings to indicate the amount of loose herb contained within the loading tool's longitudinal tube.
 11. The kit of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal tube and longitudinal insert of the loading tool are substantially cylindrical in shape.
 12. The kit of claim 11, wherein a diameter of the longitudinal tube measures substantially one-half of an inch.
 13. The kit of claim 8, further comprising a loose-herb grinding device.
 14. The kit of claim 8, further comprising an extraction tool for facilitating removal of one of the one or more pouches from the vaporizer device after use.
 15. The kit of claim 8, further comprising a sanitization product for clearing the vaporizer device after use.
 16. The kit of claim 8, further comprising a predetermined quantity of loose herb for consumption using the vaporizer device.
 17. A kit for consuming loose herb using a vaporizer device, the kit comprising: a vaporizer device; one or more pouches containing loose herb consumable using the vaporizer device, said one or more pouches each comprising: a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end and a loose-herb containment chamber therebetween; one or more first-end seals located proximal to the first longitudinal end, an innermost of the one or more first-end seals located a distance from an edge of the first longitudinal end such that the portion of the pouch between the edge of the first longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more first-end seals is operable as a first-end handle portion graspable by a user, and each non-innermost of the one or more first-end seals creating a ridge on the first-end handle portion making the first-end handle portion easier to grasp; one or more second-end seals located proximal to the pouch's second longitudinal end, an innermost of the one or more second-end seals located a distance from an edge of the second longitudinal end such that the portion of the pouch between the edge of the second longitudinal end and the innermost of the one or more second-end seals is operable as a second-end handle portion graspable by a user, and each non-innermost of the one or more second-end seals creating a ridge on the second-end handle portion making the second-end handle portion easier to grasp; and wherein the product containment chamber contains the loose herb consumable using the vaporizer device and empty air space, the empty air space allowing the loose herb to flow within the product containment chamber.
 18. The kit of claim 17, further comprising an extraction tool for facilitating removal of one of the one or more pouches from the vaporizer device after use.
 19. The kit of claim 17, further comprising a sanitization product for clearing the vaporizer device after use. 